Commenting on former Tasman and Gisborne Council Chief Executive Lindsay McKenzie’s appointment as Crown Observer at Wellington City Council, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said:

“Some experienced hands to knock heads together at Wellington City Council won’t go amiss, but real cultural change is needed.

“Officers pulling strings behind the scenes has seen accountability melt away. That’s the real lingering blight on Wellington’s governance.

“Weakening democracy further by installing Commissioners will only make the issues worse. For Wellington’s sake, a Crown Observer can’t be the first step on this slippery slope.”

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